


United in Loss

by Glimare



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 03:57:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20632706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glimare/pseuds/Glimare
Summary: One-Shot: While the pact ring is being forged, Kratos and Regal have a chat at Anna's grave. The two are far too similar and wise to not compare notes and find some very common ground.





	United in Loss

**Author's Note:**

> Another from fanfiction.net with some edits. Been a bit since my last post due to a lot of personal things, but this was waiting in storage anyway. Enjoy!

"You should leave her flowers."

Kratos looked back only for a moment before resuming his gaze. The President and Duke was quite skilled to catch him off guard like this, but the old soldier was too experienced to let it affect his actions. "They do little good."

"She may appreciate them," Regal stated evenly, preparing to pay his respects to Lloyd's mother.

"What good are flowers to the dead." He had seen so many die over the years, and many souls tortured by remaining in Exspheres. He agreed with Yuan they were better off resting in oblivion rather than attached to this world through a stone. With Anna's exsphere removed prior to her death, all that was left on hers was an imprint, an extra protection for Lloyd. She moved on while Martel was forced to stay for centuries.

"They are not for the dead, but for the living to ease their hearts." This man stood next to him, gazing upon the headstone. "Judging by your actions, you need to know she forgives you."

"Anna was far too forgiving," came Kratos' murmur. Over three thousand years of crimes and she forgave them all. No, he didn't seek her forgiveness, nor Lloyd’s. He could never forgive himself.

"So was Alicia." They both fell silent, neither of them much for talking. They dwelt too much in memories of those they loved and lost whenever they had a moment's peace. Eventually, though, the duke broke the silence.

"Lloyd told me his father had to kill his mother when she was changed into a monster as well." He bent his head down in remorse. "I had not thought others would suffer the fate we had."

"To save our son, we would do anything." It was a simple fact of their life together. The day he came into their lives, they swore to do everything they could for that boy. Their lives were meaningless without him.

"I can see that." A small smile appeared on Bryant's lips. "Her power strengthens him in his battles, and you protected him from dangers he was not ready to face, paving his way. Both of you were willing to die for him."

"Hm." Nothing to say about that. Those were simply facts. Lloyd was everything to them, more than themselves and each other.

"If Alicia and I had a child," he started sadly, "the decision may have been easier."

"It wasn't easy, Regal." Kratos' chest tightened at the memory, at the sheer loss he suffered all those years. "It never could be."

"Indeed..." Regal looked over the grave sadly, remembering another. "How have you borne this travesty?"

The old soul was silent for a minute or two before whispering an answer. "Like all the others I've committed. Though... this will always be the worst of it."

He kept his eyes on Anna's gravestone as he recalled what clearly needed to be said. Regal Bryant could not understand the devastation he experienced. The battles against Cruxis and the Desians were nothing compared to the Thousand Year War, of his 4000 years of life. "You have heard legends of the Kharlan War. They don't do it justice. When both sides ran out of men, women and children fought those pointless battles. It had to end.

"After Mithos divided the world, I was sent to destroy anything that would threaten his plans. Some of those ruins would still be intact had I done nothing. I killed more in the name of Cruxis than in the war. Then I led the Chosens through the regeneration journey, ending in their deaths. I killed and betrayed more people than I can count.

"Yet Anna forgave me." He could still recall how she reminded him of his bravery to do what he felt was right. How he turned away from kings and governments who wanted to perpetuate the wars until everyone was dead and the world shriveled up. He helped bring all side to the peace table and united the summon spirits under one banner. He erased the method of making Cruxis Crystals before any more could be made, despite Mithos' wishes. He stayed with the boy he was entrusted with despite seeing him fall into insanity. He gave hope to those Chosens, eased their transformation as much as he could. He protected them from everything but Cruxis, just as a knight should. Then he turned away from Mithos' ideals to prevent an age of lifeless beings. Kratos tried to do the right thing whenever he could. "She forgave my every sin."

His lips stilled, struggling to control his voice before opening them again. "After feeling forgiven for your many crimes over thousands of years, how can anyone bear to destroy the one who forgave you? I hesitated to do so, and Noishe was badly injured defending our son. Even then it was a struggle to take her life.

"And again, she forgave me. She always would." He placed a hand on her gravestone, remembering her laughing face. "Anna became angry easily, but smiled and forgave quickly as well."

"Much like Lloyd," Regal observed, gaining an admitting smirk from the man. Yes, they were a lot alike.

"Yes... But what good is another's forgiveness if you cannot forgive yourself?" Kratos finally looked at his visitor, particularly at his handcuffs. "You clearly haven't."

The former convict clenched his fists, looking at them. "I have sworn to never use my hands to take a life again. These are evidence of my vow."

"That is where we differ. I continued to wield the weapon and skills that took my wife. I returned to those who hurt her. I abandoned our son, believing him dead where you would have hoped and kept looking. I let her tormentor live for fourteen years. You did not. You are a far better man than I, Regal Bryant."

The mortal almost gaped at him, clearly not believing what he was being told. Kratos took it for an end to their conversation and prepared to walk away to check on the pact ring's progress. There was much to be done before they could save Colette and the Great Seed from Mithos on Derris-Kharlan. They shouldn't be filling that time with statements about their tragic pasts. He didn't need to put flowers on Anna's grave. Lloyd already planted some all around her.

"If there is one thing I have learned from your son," Bryant started, "it is that we can change and become better men than we were in the past. Though I have sinned greatly, my actions now may exonerate me."

He looked to the stunned angel, now frozen in his steps. Was he suggesting- "You have acted nobly whenever you could, and strove to protect those in front of you. When you learned of your son being alive, you did all you could to protect and help him, whether he wanted it or not. You prepared a way for our successes, and even now you have taken a leap of faith, joining us in a fight against your former companion. You are correcting your mistakes, forsaking your sins.

"Though forgiving yourself right now may be impossible, perhaps one day, when you've accepted the forgiveness of others, you will see what Lloyd and Anna does." A small smile appeared on the larger man's face. "We should not let our tragedies define us. By overcoming our sins, we will find a way to forgive ourselves."

Kratos watched him for a long minute in silence before looking away with a smirk. Lloyd and Colette's forgiving nature was rubbing off on all of them. In time, he probably would give the same speech to someone else. "Hmmm... Is that so?"

"Indeed." Bryant was completely serious about this, believing every word.

He watched him for a moment from the corner of his eye before making a comment Yuan would be proud of. "Well then... When you are free of those shackles, you should become a preacher. You give a good sermon."

"Ah..." Regal was speechless as the old soldier walked away, secretly laughing at his stunned face. After a moment he gathered his wits about him, asking a clear question. "Where are you going? You're still injured."

"Lilies." He didn't have to see the man's face as he gave into the initial request. He would no doubt be both pleased and surprised. "Anna loved lilies. I saw some not too far from here."

"I see."

The Duke let the seraph walk away, both wearing small smiles on their faces. Though age and skills separated them, the two were united in some very interesting ways: in tragedy, in disposition, and in hope for redemption. Hopefully, the unity would benefit everyone in the future and not just the loves they lost

END


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